The Rangers currently have five defensemen under the age of
28 on their roster and two more top prospects on the way, so it’s very likely
New York will be looking to add some offensive firepower with its first-round
pick, No. 15 overall in the NHL Draft.

Between now and June 24th, we’ll take a look at some of the
forwards that the Rangers might be thinking about taking on draft
day. Today, we look at…

THN – “As one of the few true freshmen in college hockey, Nick Shore
had a respectable season for a perennial contender.The temptation would be to compare him to his
older brother and Florida
prospect, Drew, but the two are different players.Drew led Denver in scoring and has more offensive
upside.He’s also bigger than his
teammate and younger brother.But Nick
has a more complete game at this point and takes the right approach on the
ice.‘He’s a hard-working kid,’ a scout
said.‘He has good enough hockey sense
and skill level, but I’d say he’s more of a third- or fourth-line guy.’Nick will never fill the net, but can fill a
role.‘He’s a good skater, but he
definitely has to get stronger if he wants to play in the NHL,’ another scout
said.‘He’s not going to be a great scorer,
but I do see him as being a good, dependable, two-way guy.He does almost everything well.’”

The Scouting Report – “This season would have to be
considered a bit of a disappointment for Shore, who many expected to be more of
a contender to be a first-round pick; rather than fighting to maintain his
status as a second rounder. Shore is a solid two-way player who has an above
average skill-set and pretty good creativity when the puck is on his stick. He
doesn’t quite have the size that his older brother does, but he still has
managed to be an effective freshman player without it. He’s gone a little under
the radar and should be a nice value pickup in this range.”

Bruins 2011 Draft Watch –“One of the draft's forgotten guys because
he was injured and missed a lot of time early on when draft lists forming and
buzz building. Not as big as his older brother Drew (might a growth spurt be on
the way), a 2nd-round pick of the Florida Panthers in 2009. Good skater and
hands, but his hockey sense is what makes the younger Shore a worthwhile pick
in the second round at the very least. He's underrated mostly because of the
missed time and production. We have to remember that he was a freshman this
year, and like his brother, could have a significant jump in numbers from one
year to the next. Shore plays a solid all-around game and has some upside,
too.”

THN.com – “For a college freshman in his draft year, Shore
has adapted remarkably well to his surroundings. It’s likely a great help that
older brother Drew is also on the squad, but Nick’s 15 points in 19 games are
all his doing. Using hockey sense and a good shot, Shore is proving the
benefits of having family in Denver.”

Hockey Spy – “His acceleration is top-notch (brother
Drew’s assessment), his top end speed is decent, his shot is better than his
brother Drew’s (self-assessment), his face-off ability is above average, he is
a good puck distributor, he is defensively responsible and can be used in all
situations and brings a decent physicality to his game. However, what
makes Nick special is his overall hockey IQ and coachability so you
know that he is only going to get better and better. Might a big break-out
season be in store for Nick next year. Hint, think about brother Drew’s second
season at Denver
(this year) before you answer.”

Corey Pronman – “Those familiar with the prospect world will
recognize Nick Shore's
last name as he is the brother of top Florida Panthers' prospect Drew Shore.
Nick is a solid distributor with the puck, exerting a very calm and calculating
manner when he has the puck as well as in how he moves around off the puck.
Shore shows decent puck protection abilities and will flash a solid deke move
here and there. He's not much of a scorer, displaying a pass-first mentality
and even when he gets his attempts the shot tool isn't much. His frame is ok,
but he does exert a notable work ethic in the physical department and he really
is an asset for his defenseman when the puck gets down low in his zone. Shore
gets by on his smarts and that aspect of his game grades out as above-average
in both ends of the rink. The skating tool though is pretty bad—below fringe
level—and there's not much to write home about in regards to how he moves on
the ice with poor results and mechanics.”

Thoughts: Shore probably doesn’t have the offensive upside
to be taken in the first round, but if he’s still there when the Rangers make
their second selection, he might be appealing.New York
has been stockpiling high-character college kids in recent years and Shore
seems to fit the mold.His production
hasn’t been great, but as a freshman he still has plenty of time to step
up.Outside of his limited point totals,
Shore’s game seems to be pretty well-rounded.He could be a safe pick, although the chance that he becomes a star may
be slim.

The Rangers last took a college kid in the first round two
years ago when they selected Chris Kreider as No. 19.Shore’s lack of flashy offensive ability
could cause him to drop further than expected in the draft, but he could be an
appealing pick for New York.